I am pleased to announce that our Guest Speaker for our June 5, 2024 hybrid Club Meeting at the Church will be Gene Spinelli, K5GS, who was the co-founder of the DXpedition TX5S to Clipperton Island in late January of 2024.
Presenter’s Bio:
First licensed in 1976, my interest in electronics goes back to the teenage years. Joined the Navy Reserve while still in high school, attended Electronics Technician Class “A” School at Great Lakes, Illinois. Went on active duty and serviced radar and communications equipment aboard US Navy radar picket ships operating in the Southern Ocean, south of Campbell Island at 60 degrees south, 160 degrees east during Operation Deep Freeze, 1965 – 66 and 1966-67.
In 1966, while at sea, I studied for the Conditional Class License, but never took the test. My enlistment ended in 1967 and went into the computer service(s) business from where I retired after nearly 40 years, went back as a consultant for 5 more years.
While living in Arlington, Texas (1976) I took the Advanced Class test. It was given at the Dallas FCC office, I took the Extra Class test in 1988 while living in Boulder, Colorado.
Past call signs are: WB5WFD, WD6DLK, and KE6LT, currently hold VK2IXC and ZL1NA
After 31 years in Colorado, in September 2016 we moved from Divide, Colorado where my station was located at our mountain home, 9,200 feet (2,800 meters) above sea level.
Now located in Tucson, Arizona, we have a flat 3.3 acres on the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by many species of cacti, at an elevation of 2,500 feet (760 meters). The property is located in unincorporated Pima County, 15 minutes from all major shopping, restaurants, hospitals, etc.
In April 2017 I reinstalled my US Tower HDX-572 that was trucked from Colorado to Arizona. This part of Pima County is a ham friendly area, no drama to get a building permit, all done on-line.
Gene was first licensed in 1976 as WB5WFD, and has held K5GS since 1996; previous calls were WD6DLK and KE6LT.
He’s an avid DXer, his DXCC total is 354 confirmed (mixed) with all current DXCC entities confirmed. Gene’s radio interest has always been DXing with occasional diversions into restoring vintage radios and the digital modes. Previous DXpeditions include the 2012 ZL9HR Campbell Island, 2014 VK9MT Mellish Reef, 2015 TX3X Chesterfield Islands, 2018 VP6D Ducie Island, 2020 VP8PJ South Orkney Islands, and the 2022 TX5N Austral Islands.
He also holds call signs ZL1NA and VK2IXC. Gene retired from the Information Technology industry in 2012, he and his wife live in Tucson, Arizona.
We will announce the link to join the Zoom meeting before the meeting, but it will be posted to the BARS email list and should not be shared outside our Club. Are you on the email list? If not, please send an email to bars-subscribe@w1hh.org and then simply reply to the robot response from the server and you will be subscribed.
Observing our Zoom meeting requires only a web browser and headphones/speakers. You do not need a webcam or microphone unless you want to speak or be seen.
Before our meeting date, please go to https://zoom.us/test and see if it will function for you. If you have problems, we can try to assist – feel free to ask questions on the BARS email list.
I am looking forward to “seeing” many of you on Wednesday 6/5 there at 1900.
Doug, N1WRN
President, Billerica Amateur Radio Society
